Sex or Suffer [Dark Colony 1] [Paperback]

Lara Santiago (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2008 | Series: Dark Colony

SEX OR SUFFER [Dark Colony 1] [Siren Menage Amour 23: Erotic Sci-Fi, Multiple Sex Partner Romance] Devastated to discover she harbors the SOS virus, medical researcher, Dr. Penelope Drake hires Captain Gray Wyckoff to take her across the galaxy to the cure on Parsec Five. As Penelope fights for a permanent remedy to cure this monstrous disease, the deplorable question in her mind repeats: How did she contract the virus in the first place? Captain Gray Wyckoff burns every bridge he's ever built to get Penelope there, only to find she can't deliver the payment she's promised. Serving as her temporary sexual cure along the way only adds to his feelings of betrayal. He thought he loved her. Now he's not sure he can forgive her. Love her? Leave her? The choice between sex or suffering has never been so hard to make. Especially when he has to watch her have sex with another man. *** "Being a romantic at heart, my favorite stories are those where love is discovered between a hero and heroine and the ultimate struggles they face to be together. Why then would a woman decide to sleep with two different men? That provocative question began this book and my answer came in the form of a virus called Sex or Suffer. Enjoy." ~ Lara

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc. (December 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1606014153
• ISBN-13: 978-1606014158
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,569,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A desperate heroine and a reluctant hero, March 1, 2009

By 

Katherine A. Smith (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sex or Suffer [Dark Colony 1] (Paperback)

The premise of this book is very clever with a symnpathetic heroine who contracts a disease that makes her want...well, hot, hot sex, and the hero who doesn't quite understand what is going on but steps up to the plate.

There's an endearing second hero also, and some nice twists and turns. If you like futuristic sci-fi, this is a good solid read with Ms. Santiago's usual humor sprinkled here and there.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diabolically good, August 19, 2009

By 

R. Toomey "Raina T." - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sex or Suffer [Dark Colony] (Siren Publishing PolyAmour) (Kindle Edition)

Medical researcher Dr. Penelope Drake is forced into desperate action when she is infected with the Sex or Suffer virus, a biological weapon that forces females into a mindless state of sexual need. The diabolical engineered virus inflicts indescribable pain on its victims if they don't mate with a man -- immediately, and regularly.

Penelope's only hope is to appropriate funds from her medical lab, forge documents and make promises she knows she'll never be able to keep to flee to a far-flung planet that has stores of the only known cure. Even the cure is not a certainty -- if she doesn't make it by the virus's zero hour, it will bond with her DNA and her infection will be irreversible.

For an intelligent, driven, honorable woman like Penelope Drake, being subsumed by her body's primitive needs becomes the ultimate torture, as every time the virus forces her submission, she turns into a wanton who will do anything for sex -- even if it means forcing herself on a reluctant man.

Fortunately for Penelope, she finds two decent men to help her in her quest for a cure: Nathan Tyndall and his captain, Gray Wyckoff, who is also the head of his own galactic shipping company, Dalton Prime Corporation.

Lara Santiago handles this storyline beautifully. Instead of treating Penelope's illness as a multiple-sex-partners-free card, she believably writes the SOS virus as the biological rape drug it is. Its victims feel shame and despair, and it is understandable that Penelope would do whatever she has to to free herself from its grip.

Gray and Nathan are wonderful characters, noble and interesting without coming off as too good to be true. They want more from Penelope than sex, they feel for her plight and are willing to cut a few legal corners to get her where she needs to be. Gray in particular is a multifaceted character, an ambitious businessman who finds himself giving in to softer emotions where Penelope is concerned.

The subplot of the shipboard romance between first officer Lieut. Angelica Brice and third officer Ensign Jeremy Cahill is hot and steamy. (I only wish I could get a firsthand look at Cahill's "spectacular ass." :lol ) And Penelope's lab rival, Damon Kaslan, is suitably despicable and as reliable as a bad penny -- he always turns up.

As with all Santiago stories, there's a neat little twist at the end, although it is foreshadowed nicely.

I highly recommend Sex or Suffer for fans of scifi romance, and look forward to reading the next book in the Dark Colony series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sex or Suffer, March 25, 2009

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sex or Suffer [Dark Colony 1] (Paperback)

Scientist Dr. Penelope Drake is researching the extinct Sex or Suffer (SOS) virus. Infected humanoid females are stricken with pain in the presence of a male they would normally be attracted to. The agony is only relieved if said male has sex with them. Unwittingly, Penelope is infected with the virus. Desperate to obtain the only purported cure, Penelope enlists the help of Captain Gray Wyckoff in her frantic journey across the galaxy.

Gray is the owner of transportation company, Dalton Prime Corporation. When a mysterious passenger offers to set up a meeting with the governor in exchange for cutting his down time short he jumps at the opportunity to make some valuable business contacts. The mystery is not one for long and Gray gets personal knowledge of exactly how the SOS virus works when he gets involved with Penelope.

The title Sex or Suffer peaked my interest instantly and once I cracked it open I was not disappointed. There was lots of action and not one romance but two to make the story even more satisfying. There was only one thing about Sex or Suffer that I couldn't quite swallow and that was the reason behind the re-emergence of the SOS virus. Gray was the ultimate hero--no sacrifice was too much to make for Penelope. Sci-fi romance lovers, when you pick up Sex or Suffer there will be no pain--just pleasure.

Zayn

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed